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Ofcom approves UK direct-to-device satellite framework

Ernest Pozzoni — article author

(Image generated with DeepAI)

The United Kingdom communications regulator Ofcom has set out a new UK D2D regulatory framework that will allow satellite direct-to-device services to operate using existing mobile spectrum bands. The move opens the door for mobile network operators to partner with satellite providers so that ordinary handsets can stay connected in areas with little or no terrestrial coverage. This is significant for sectors such as Maritime operations, Energy & Offshore projects and Disaster Recovery work, where reliable links are often difficult to maintain.

Published on 9 December 2025, the framework explains how mobile network operators can request changes to their licences in order to add direct-to-device capability. Ofcom has also detailed technical conditions designed to prevent harmful interference, including measures to protect air traffic control systems and to avoid disruption to mobile services in neighbouring countries. The regulator describes the framework as an important step towards extending connectivity without extensive new ground infrastructure.

Ofcom notes that mobile operators are already working to bring commercial services to market. The regulator highlighted initiatives that aim to make the United Kingdom the first country in Western Europe with broad access to satellite direct-to-device connectivity. By combining terrestrial and space-based networks, operators hope to offer more resilient communications for communities, businesses and public services, including those supporting Telemedicine, remote logistics and critical Infrastructure and IoT assets.

Internationally, the United States Federal Communications Commission adopted a similar framework in 2024, followed by Canada. Regulators in other regions, including parts of Europe, Africa and Asia, are now developing their own approaches. Ukraine has already launched nationwide services, with mobile operator Kyivstar collaborating with Starlink to support users in hard-to-reach locations.

In the British market, Virgin Media O2 plans to work with Starlink under its O2 Satellite initiative, while Vodafone has a commercial agreement with AST SpaceMobile that includes the U.K. At the same time, certain Apple smartphones already allow customers to send emergency texts and share locations via satellite outside this framework. The UK D2D regulatory framework is therefore intended to provide a clear basis for future services as satellite direct-to-device technology becomes more integrated into everyday communications.

Iridium powers global satellite IoT connectivity for Hyundai Hi MATE

Ernest Pozzoni — article author

(Image generated with DeepAI)

Iridium Communications has signed an agreement with HD Hyundai Construction Equipment to integrate global satellite IoT connectivity into the company’s Hi MATE remote monitoring platform. The collaboration, focused initially on construction machinery operating across Asia and other remote regions, is designed to extend reliable data links to equipment working beyond the reach of terrestrial mobile networks.

HD Hyundai Construction Equipment, part of the wider HD Hyundai group based in South Korea, manufactures excavators, wheel loaders and other heavy machinery used on large-scale infrastructure and industrial projects worldwide. Its Hi MATE system already enables fleet owners to track machine location, set geofences and access operational data via a centralised platform, helping management teams supervise diverse fleets spread across multiple countries.

Under the new arrangement, Iridium’s low Earth orbit satellite constellation will provide the underlying communications layer for Hi MATE units deployed in challenging environments. Using Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD), the system can transmit telemetry such as engine hours, fuel consumption, equipment status and alarms, even when machines are operating far from cellular coverage or in temporary project sites. This information can feed existing fleet management tools.

This capability is relevant for assets used in sectors such as Energy & Offshore, Mining & Exploration and large-scale Infrastructure and IoT projects, where equipment is frequently deployed in isolated or harsh conditions. It also supports contractors working on road and rail schemes, ports serving Maritime logistics, and construction activity tied to Disaster Recovery operations after extreme weather events.

By combining satellite connectivity with existing telematics features, HD Hyundai aims to give operators and owners more consistent visibility of fleet performance, utilisation and maintenance needs. Access to near real-time information can help improve scheduling, reduce unplanned downtime and support safer operation of machinery in remote locations.

The partnership also reflects a broader trend towards resilient connectivity for industrial equipment, ensuring that monitoring and management tools remain available regardless of geography. As construction and heavy equipment fleets take on more complex roles across global supply chains and critical infrastructure programmes, solutions built on global satellite IoT connectivity are becoming an important enabler for data-driven operations.

Semtech Integrates Skylo Satellite Network into Cellular IoT Platform

Ernest Pozzoni — article author

(Image generated with DeepAI)


Semtech Corporation has announced the launch of a cellular–satellite Internet of Things (IoT) platform developed in partnership with Skylo Technologies. The integrated service combines terrestrial and satellite connectivity to provide a unified device-to-cloud solution that automatically switches between networks when IoT devices move beyond the range of cellular towers.

The platform allows users to deploy IoT devices globally under a single subscription and a single Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). It is designed to simplify network management for industries requiring uninterrupted data transmission, such as logistics, energy, agriculture, and infrastructure monitoring.

According to Skylo Technologies, Semtech is the first company to deliver Skylo-certified modules with integrated network access. The integration of Skylo’s satellite network directly into Semtech’s Smart Connectivity platform enables users to adopt non-terrestrial network (NTN) IoT services with the same operational simplicity as traditional cellular solutions.

The service uses Semtech’s HL7810 low-power wide-area (LPWA) module, which supports LTE-M, NB-IoT, and NTN connections. A second version, the HL7812, adds 2G fallback capability. Both modules connect to Semtech’s Smart Connectivity Premium SIM, providing access to more than 600 partner networks operating on 4G LTE, 5G, and Skylo’s satellite NTN.

The combined system enables IoT devices to maintain continuous communication even when crossing between terrestrial and satellite coverage zones. It is being evaluated by selected customers ahead of a planned general release in November 2025.

The initiative reflects a broader trend toward the convergence of terrestrial and satellite networks within the IoT sector, aimed at supporting worldwide coverage for asset tracking, agriculture, infrastructure, and other critical communications services.

Shared-Spectrum D2D Model Aims for Open Access

Ernest Pozzoni — article author

(Image generated with DeepAI)

A new approach to direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity proposes satellites as shared infrastructure—much like terrestrial cell towers—coordinated by a shared spectrum D2D ecosystem rather than a single vertically integrated player. The concept aggregates mobile satellite spectrum already allocated across scores of markets, aiming to deliver consumer-grade messaging first, then data services, within a three-year window.

Under this model, multiple participants contribute spectrum while retaining ownership, with operations orchestrated to maximise regional availability and uphold national sovereignty. Technically, the blueprint combines in-orbit assets with new Low-Earth Orbit capacity, stitching them through common standards and interoperable gateways. The draw for policymakers is clear: an open framework that lets countries and spectrum holders participate on equitable terms without ceding control.

For the wider market, shared access reduces duplication and lowers the barrier to entry for mobile network operators, chipmakers, device OEMs, and app providers. Adoption hurdles remain—while 3GPP now includes several MSS bands, handset support is still concentrated in higher-end models—but a phased service plan (starting with SMS/MMS and short media, expanding to IP data) can ramp usage as device compatibility broadens.

The industrial upside is immediate. Infrastructure and IoT estates gain resilient, standards-based fall-back for telemetry, alarms, and control where terrestrial reach is patchy. Disaster Recovery teams benefit from an on-ramp that works on ordinary smartphones, enabling coordination when fibre and cellular fail. Maritime corridors, remote workforces, and transport routes can all exploit ubiquitous coverage without bespoke satellite handsets.

Success hinges on governance as much as radios. Clear rules for spectrum coordination, lawful intercept, roaming, and interference mitigation are essential, alongside common APIs for provisioning, billing, and network slicing. Security baselines must cover device attestation, fraud controls, and end-to-end encryption, while performance SLAs should reflect realistic capacity during surge events.

If executed well, the architecture could complement national strategies seeking vendor diversity and sovereign control, while accelerating handset-native satellite capability across the ecosystem. With timelines ambitious and details still emerging, the prize is a more inclusive market—one where multiple providers interoperate on shared infrastructure inside a shared spectrum D2D ecosystem.

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Link Communications Systems is a London based telecommunications service provider and technology integrator that specialises in VSAT network design, integration and services in remote regions throughout the world. LCS provides Internet via Satellite, Private Networks, Maritime, Television broadcasting and other services.

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